“Joy as an act of resistance”. That phrase has been coursing around Jack Garratt’s head recently. That state of mind has birthed a markedly new chapter for his sound, one that’s positive, urgent, and vibrant, bursting with colour and fun. Released 3 months into the pandemic, Garratt’s last album Love, Death & Dancing wasn’t plain sailing. His diary, previously filled with tour dates and live shows, remained completely blank, and he was also going through a divorce. His new sound is a reclamation of his joy and an unapologetic expression of himself: technicoloured, joyful and celebratory. It’s also aimed squarely at the dancefloor; disco-funk, Daft Punk-esque vocal chops and zig-zagging basslines. This sonic direction has provided the perfect opportunity for him to hone his DJing skills, creating his own edits and flips of iconic tracks that he can mix his tracks into. Amid the obstacles that life has thrown at him lately, Garratt remains in a state of optimism – and that shimmering dance music is here to soundtrack all of that. “You can't avoid feelings, you can't avoid negative things happening to you, they will happen,” he says. “And it’s not as easy as just going, you know, c’est la vie, life goes on. No, it fucking sucks. Things hurt. Why not take that and put it into a funky song that makes you want to dance. Let's dance while the world is ending!”
